Colonial-style

In need of some love and affection, the colonial mansion bought by the FCC group

There are some very attractive French colonial-style buildings dotted around Phnom Penh. A few books have been published that demonstrate the best examples and there's even a walking/cyclo tour of the capital that is organized by architecture fans to show off these beautiful edifices to interested visitors. One such building, although suffering from neglect and a lack of paint is the building featured here. It sits opposite the National Museum and made the news headlines here the other day when it was alleged that it was part of a political bribe a few years ago and has now been sold off to the FCC group who will turn it into a luxury hotel. It was built in 1930 and its last occupants were the police who protect the Royal Place nearby. Expect it to look shiny and bright fairly soon, like the UNESCO building, another colonial-style building that has been given the love and attention it deserves. The UNESCO headquarters is from the same era and lies fifty metres along the same block of buildings. Link: Architecture Tours. The photos managed to load two days after I blogged this post. Sorry to keep you waiting!

A close-up view of the 1930's colonial-style mansion near the Royal Palace

The brightly-painted renovated UNESCO mansion a few doors away from the FCC building